Ex-cop cries for help in Ondo over eviction plan by FG

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3 years ago

An ex-policeman, Sunday Ige, who was relieved of his duties by the Nigeria Police Force after a ghastly accident left him bedridden, has sent out a passionate cry for help from the government and authorities of the state police command, over the Federal Ministry of Housing’s plan to evict him from his apartment.

Ige who hailed from Idoani in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State was involved in a ghastly accident while on special duty as mobile policeman in Lagos state in 2001, suffered a spinal cord injury while one of his legs was amputated.

The 57-year-old explained that he was relieved of his post as a Corporal in the Nigeria Police in 2006 while he was paid N225,000 in gratuity following his retrenchment which was occasioned by the accident.

According to him, he had been allocated a house in Shagari Estate, Akure, in 1993 where he was able to pay the initial ten per cent deposit of N125, 000 out of the N1.250m, saying he was expected to pay for the purchase of the apartment in 2007 by the government.

He, however, said he was not able to work or raise money for the payment of the house after several million to take care of his health occasioned by the accident while on duty.

The former police officer disclosed that he received an eviction letter from the presidency in March 2022, while he was given two weeks ultimatum to vacate the property which will expire this week.

While lamenting his predicament, the ex-Corporal said his condition had made it difficult for him to raise the balance of N1.125 million after paying the initial deposit of N125,000 out N1.250 million for the purchase of the house from the Federal Ministry of Housing, saying he was paid N225,000 in gratuity following his retrenchment which was occasioned by the accident.

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The ex-Corporal who had been bedridden for about 21 years said, “I was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on September 1st, 1991 and I passed out from the training school, Iperu in 1992. After the training, I was posted to Ijero-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

“In 1993, I was mobilised to the Nigeria Mobile Force, Akure. In January 16, 2001, I was posted for special duty in Lagos and I was attached to Itire Police Station where I was knocked down by a vehicle while on duty.

“When the accident occurred, I was rushed to General Hospital, Ikeja and I was later moved to a private hospital. When my situation could not be handled at both the general and private hospitals, I was moved to Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife. OAUTH.

“At Ife, my leg was amputated. After the leg had been amputated, it was later discovered that I had a spinal cord injury which has made movement to be difficult for me.

“I was discharged from OAUTH in November 2001. Then all the medical expenses were over N1million. The police did not assist me to pay a single kobo out of the entire medical bills. I paid with the little I had as well as with the assistance of my family. My parents died because of the situation.”

He said further that “In 2006, December 31st, I was retrenched as a Corporal from the Nigeria Police and my salary was immediately stopped.

“In 2009, police authority paid me N225,000 as my gratuity with my pension pegged at N5000 monthly, later it was increased to N8000 but with the new minimum wage, I now received N16,000 as monthly pension.

“In 1993, the house was allocated to me. And in 2007, Federal Housing said that it wants to dispose of the house at the rate of N1.250 million and we were told to pay 10 per cent first. I picked up interest to buy the house since I have been living there and I paid the ten per cent.

“Since then, I have not been able to raise the balance because of my condition. Just last week, the ministry brought eviction letter that I should pack out of the house.

“If I’m evicted from this house, I have nowhere to go because of my condition. I have no wife because when the accident happened I was yet to get married.

“I am begging the government as well as meaning individuals to come to my aid there is nowhere for me to go and there is no way I can raise the money in my present condition.”

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Ex-cop cries for help in Ondo over eviction plan by FG

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Ex-cop cries for help in Ondo over eviction plan by FG